Tremendous Squirrel opener!!!

[Skychief]

My friend and I were in the woods by seven o'clock this morning. Breezeless and cool, the day broke with great squirrel hunting conditions.

I took my 20 gauge fowling piece as did he.

We found plenty of squirrels in the shagbark hickories, and commenced firing. :thumbsup:

I was VERY happy to collect a limit of five in a couple of hours, with five shots! :hatsoff:

They were all greys taken from deep woods. While I had to show patience and wait for the squirrels to lower their altitude for sure shots, I didn't see the smoothbore as any kind of handicap today. Thinking back, I remember only one squirrel that was about 40 yards high and feeding on a bare branch, presenting a beautiful shot for a Rifleman. I watched him with my friend for about an hour toward the end of the hunt. He was left for seed! :haha:

My buddy collected a couple squirrels too after a less that stellar start. After his second miss, he told me that he was practicing "catch and release". A phrase that I am familiar with, though previous to today, I'd never heard it uttered in the squirrel woods. We had a good-for-the-soul chuckle right on the spot! :haha:

Wanted to let ya all know that a couple of Hoosiers had a fine morning. I hope you did too. :thumbsup:

Best regards, Skychief

Post Script, I used my loads of heavily lubed (beeswax and lard) cushion wads on top of the shot charge. As I wrote, 5 shots brought just as many squirrels to the bag. They were taken cleanly and as far away as nearly 30 yards I would say. I'm real happy the load performed as it did. Good luck to you all!

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations Chief, that was some good shooting. Our season doesn't open until August 23,(my birthday), but our limit is 10 per day. On the other hand, 5 Indiana fox squirrels would give you as much edible meat as 10 of our gray squirrels. Keep yer powder dry........Robin :bow:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Fabulous! :thumbsup:

Wish you had some pictures to share....

 

[Britsmoothy]

Yes, get a camera :nono:

:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

B.

 

[sooner]

Congrats Skychief ,sounds like you guys had a great time . Tom :thumbsup:

 

[George]

That's great to hear, Skychief. What is it that makes a really good squirrel hunt so enjoyable? Can't quite say, but they are special for me.

I'm glad that your weird wadding system passed the field test with flying colors. Better order some more fiber wads. Drop me a note when you figure out why and how that works.

I got out this morning, too, but I had to settle for only one squirrel. With all the changes taking place at my hunting spot, I'm relieved they still had some trees to climb.

Spence

 

[Pmringer]

Did you put an over powder card followed by shot then the cushion wad or was there a wad under the shot charge as well? I'm heading out with my 20 bore next week and am going to try to cushion on top to see if it tightens my patterns.

 

[Skychief]

We had a few shots taken with a cell phone. My friend was wearing a coyote hat that he recently made.....the cell phone survived the picture taking fortunately. :haha:

 

[Spikebuck]

Glad to hear you guys had a great hunt. Squirrel hunting is special for sure.

Mike

 

[Skychief]

For me Spence, squirrel hunting takes me back to a time when demands were few and possibilities and wonders abounded. Boyhood.

I hope I never lose that feeling.

Hey, I've already taken a swing at explaining why the "Skychief Special" load shoots a nice, dense pattern in the smoothbore section here, under a thread that I started.

I was nearly tarred and feathered as a result of posting my theory. :haha:

Soooooo, I think I'll just let others figure out how and why it works. :idunno: :haha:

Glad that you got to hunt today my friend!

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Skychief]

Did you put an over powder card followed by shot then the cushion wad or was there a wad under the shot charge as well? I'm heading out with my 20 bore next week and am going to try to cushion on top to see if it tightens my patterns.

PMringer, I used 60 grains of 3f Goex, hard card, an ounce of mixed 4's and 5's, then a full cushion wad lubed with lard and beeswax (heavier on the beeswax).

In the smooth bore section here, I started a thread regarding this quirky load. There's a good bit of discussion about it there.

Good luck, Skychief

 

[Pmringer]

Appreciate it I followed your other post diligently and was curious if that's what you ended up using. I'll try the same and report back. Thanks!

Patrick Ferringer

 

[George]

I was nearly tarred and feathered as a result of posting my theory. :haha:

That'll learn ye, dern ye. Don't fool around with the dogma. :haha:

Spence

 

[Skychief]

I was nearly tarred and feathered as a result of posting my theory. :haha:

That'll learn ye, dern ye. Don't fool around with the dogma. :haha:

Spence

A lesson well learned!!! :shocked2: :haha: :hatsoff:

 

[Billnpatti]

With all the changes taking place at my hunting spot, I'm relieved they still had some trees to climb.Spence

I don't want to hear you complain. I live in the Texas Hill country and here the squirrels have to carry ladders to have something to climb. I miss hunting squirrels back in Indiana where we had real trees.

 

[Critter Getter]

Congrats on a great day of hunting! Greg. :grin:

 

[JD Peppergrinder]

Good job! It surprises me that your squirrel season opens this late because here in Missouri squirrel season opens around the 20th of May and goes to about the middle of February with a daily limit of 10.

 

[bgeipel]

Thanks for the great report!

I am a suburb living Hoosier and don't really have access to any land. I normally head up to a friends place in Michigan. Do you know any good public land for squirrel hunting in central Indiana?

Barry

 

[Skychief]

Sure Barry....Any of the state forests near me are great for squirrel hunting, at least until the deer firearm seasons start.

Yellowwood, Morgan-Monroe, Owen-Putnam are all within an hour or so drive of Carmel with plenty of squackers to chase. Much closer than Michigan!

Should you decide to go, just get a map at the office and find a parking spot and start hunting. It's that easy.

You may also hunt State reservoir properties.

You'll find little competition for small game, but again, I wouldn't step foot in these public areas once the blaze orange army starts their thing! :shocked2:

If I can help more, feel free to PM me.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Pmringer]

Skychief,

Tried your load pattern and I'm sold. Patterned it on paper versus the charge-card-cushion-shot-card load I had been shooting an it was way better. Thought I'd try it in the field. Rolled my first squirrel with the new smoothie from 35+ yards using 60 grains 3f with 70 grains of #6 shot. Nice big male fox squirrel. Pellets were in his head and a few in the hind end. It showed a little center gap but no more than my modern shotgun. Picture to follow!